6:46PM: Johnston adds that Boo Nieves is named in the complaint as well. Ryan McDonagh and Michael Del Zotto are as well.

6:40PM: Chris Johnston says that the NHL complaint names all 31 members of the NHLPA negotiating committee and says that the vote to disclaim interest will take place over the next four days.

Katie Strang says that the NHLPA has until January 2nd to disclaim interest.

5:23PM: Katie Strang tweets “Think it’s safe to say that this lockout battle between two sides has entered a whole new stage. Prepare for things to get ugly”

5:13PM: Johnston does send out this tweet, “For what it’s worth, at least one labour lawyer I spoke with thinks the NHL lockout will end quicker now that it’s in the courts.”

Macramalla adds “Why did NHL file lawsuit first? To get case in front of league friendly court that is more likely to keep lockout in place – and thats NY. Yes all that is going down now legally is completely predictable – unfortunate though – I suspect NHL did file suit in summer for optics.”

4:55PM: The NHL has filed a class action complaint in New York Federal Court seeking a deceleration to confirm the legality of the lockout.

Mark Spector of Sportsnet writes “This gets UGLY now. NHL gets out ahead of the PA’s threat to dissolve. Like a divorce, lawyers will do well here.”

The NHL also filed an Unfair Labor Practice charge with the National Labor Relations board alleging that “by threatening to ‘disclaim interest,’ the NHLPA has engaged in an unlawful subversion of the collective bargaining process and conduct that constitutes bad faith bargaining under the National Labor Relations Act.”

Eric Macramalla, a Lawyer and corespondent for TSN, tweeted “as I said NHL should have filed yesterday in New York; and they filed today in NY asking a court to rubber stamp lockout.” He called this move “necessary” for the NHL.

Chris Johnston tweets “New York has been known to be more favourable to sports leagues — hence the NHL’s decision to file with federal court there.”